Blog:Nestle confirms emerging market targets

Swiss food group Nestle has confirmed that it hopes to generate around half of its sales in emerging markets by 2020.

Nandu Nandkishore, Nestlé Zone Director for Asia, Oceania, Africa and Middle East commented: "Globally emerging markets I believe contribute about 40% of Nestle's business at this point of time... and [the] expectation is that by the end of the decade it should reach 50%"

Nestle's revenue growth in emerging markets is outpacing that in developed economies. During the first nine months of this year, Nestle said that emerging market sales rose 11.7%, compared to growth of just 2.4% in developed markets.

In a bid to continue this growth in emerging markets apace, Nestle is focused on expanding its routes to market and enhancing its product offering. The company recently announced that it will open two R&D centres in China to support local product development.

And Nestle - like many of its peers - looking well beyond the highly publicised opportunity presented by the BRIC economies. In this month's just-food interview, to be published in the coming weeks, we will be speaking to Nestle equatorial Africa region head Ian Donald on the company's plans to grow in the region.